CNOR Patient Positioning and Physiological Monitoring 3

Question 1

When a patient is positioned in the prone position, chest rolls or a Wilson frame are used primarily to:

Accepted Answer

Allow free abdominal excursion and reduce vena caval compression

Answer

Chest rolls or a Wilson frame relieve abdominal compression, allowing the diaphragm to move freely and reducing inferior vena caval compression that would otherwise increase surgical bleeding.

Question 2

Intraoperative temperature monitoring is critical because hypothermia (core temp below 36°C) can cause all of the following EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Reduced anesthetic agent requirements

Answer

Hypothermia actually increases anesthetic requirements slightly because shivering and thermoregulatory responses remain active; the other options are all known adverse effects of intraoperative hypothermia.

Question 3

The circulating nurse notes that the patient's arm is abducted greater than 90 degrees on the arm board. The primary concern is injury to which structure?

Accepted Answer

Brachial plexus from stretch or compression

Answer

Arm abduction greater than 90 degrees stretches the brachial plexus and can cause traction injury; AORN guidelines recommend keeping abduction at 90 degrees or less.

Question 4

Which pulse oximetry limitation is most clinically significant when monitoring a patient who has received large amounts of intravenous dye (methylene blue)?

Accepted Answer

Methylene blue causes falsely low SpO2 readings transiently

Answer

Methylene blue absorbs light at wavelengths used by pulse oximetry and causes a transient but significant drop in the SpO2 reading that does not reflect true oxygenation status.

Question 5

During a lengthy procedure, the circulating nurse is responsible for re-evaluating the patient's position at regular intervals. The MOST important reason for this is to:

Accepted Answer

Identify developing pressure injuries or positional nerve stress early enough to intervene

Answer

Ongoing positional reassessment allows early identification and correction of pressure points or nerve stress before irreversible injury occurs.

CNOR - Certification Exam Practice Test

CNOR - Certification Exam Practice Test

CNOR Patient Positioning and Physiological Monitoring 3